SARSFIELDS became Cork champions for the second time in three years after defeating Glen Rovers in front of a crowd of 11,428 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday afternoon.

Trailing by a point with four minutes of normal time remaining, the Glanmire club managed to hit three unanswered points in the closing stages to grind their way to the fourth title in their history.

Cork panellist Conor O'Sullivan was outstanding in defence for Sars while Cian McCarthy, son of Teddy, scored eight points in a man-of-the-match display.

Patrick Horgan scored 10 points for the Glen, who looked for long periods of the second half as if they would end a 21-year wait for a county title, but they were overtaken in the final stretch.

After an evenly-contested first half, Sarsfields led at the interval, thanks largely to a fortuitous goal from corner-back O'Sullivan in the 12th minute. By that stage, the sides had shared just two points, but O'Sullivan's free from his own '45' -- which travelled all the way to the Glen net -- gave them a cushion.

The city side did pull level on two occasions before half-time, but they were unable to forge ahead.

Though a long-range McCarthy free extended Sars' lead at the start of the second half, the Glen, playing with the wind, began to pick up momentum.

levelled

A free by Brian Moylan from his own 65 and a good David Busteed point put one in it. The Glen were now on top and captain David Cunningham levelled before Horgan put them ahead for the first time in the 40th minute with another free.

Sars were not out of it, however, and McCarthy's fourth point, a free from his own '65', squared matters again but good points from Brosnan and Brian Moylan's brother Gavin gave the Glen breathing space.

Michael Cussen did have a goal chance for Sars, but a good hook from Shane Kennefick meant that he could not connect, though from the resulting '65' McCarthy again pointed to leave the minimum in it again.

Two Horgan frees pushed the Glen on once more, but McCarthy was responding in kind and by the 56th minute only a point separated the sides, 0-18 to 1-14 in the Glen's favour.

Then two fine Tadhg Óg Murphy points had Sars back in the lead, and they looked to have wrapped things up when Cussen found the net, only for play to be called back for a penalty as the full-forward was adjudged to have been fouled.

McCarthy opted to put that over and though the final moments were frantic, Sars held out, with Horgan having a late 20-metre free blocked just before the final whistle.